Immunology In The CNS Flashcards
Outline innate immunity
Non-specific, constitutive (continually expressed) and quick
What is involved in innate immunity
-anatomical (barriers)
-inflammation
-phagocytes and antigen-presenting cells
-PRRs recognising PAMPs
What cells are involved in innate immunity
-monocytes and macrophages
-dendritic cells
-neutrophils and other granulocytes (eosinophils, basophils, mast cells)
Outline adaptive immunity (humoral and cell-mediated)
Specific (diversity/polymorphism)
Induced- slower
Memory.
What lymphocytes are involved in adaptive immunity
T cells:
-helper
-cytotoxic
-regulatory
-memory
B cells:
-plasma (-> antibodies)
-memory
Outline recognition in the immune system
PAMPs (found on the microbial cell)
PRRs (innate cell)
BCRs and TCRs (T cells)
Outline myeloid cells of the immune system
Macrophage
Neutrophil
Dendritic cells
Eosinophils
Basophils
Outline macrophages
-phagocytosis
-bactericidal mechanisms
-antigen presentation
-cytokines production
Outline dendritic cells
-antigen uptake in periphery
-antigen presentation in lymph nodes
-cytokines production
Outline neutrophils
(Polymorphonuclear cells, PMNs)
-phagocytosis
-bactericidal mechanisms
Outline eosinophils
Killing of antibody-coated parasites
Outline basophils
-allergic responses
-augmentation of anti-parasite immunity
Outline lymphocytes
T and B lymphocytes cannot be distinguished by blood smear, instead by surface markers
Mostly small and inactive until they encounter the specific antigen that interacts with the receptor on their surface
T cells of subsets include CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells
What equipment can be used to analyse lymphocytes
Flow cytometry
What is cytokines role in the immune system?
Signalling, communication, activation and inhibition
What is in the meninges
Dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater
Outline dura mater
Fenestrated blood vessels without tight junctions (likely exit for microbes in circulation)
What cells are in the dura mater
Resident meningeal macrophages, DCs and other APCs sample and present antigen to surveying T cells
Outline the arachnoid mater
Expresses tight junction proteins as a physical barrier between dura mater and CSF-filled subarachnoid space
What is encephalitis
Crossing the BBB
What is meningitis
Crossing thee blood- CSF barrier
How can pathogens cross the BBB
-infecting the cells that compromise the barrier
-being passively transported across in intracellular vacuoles
-carriage across by infected white blood cells
What happens when you have a CNS invasion of viruses
Increase in lymphocytes (mostly T cells) and monocytes in CSF, increase in protein, CSF remains mostly clear (‘aseptic meningitis’)
What happens when you have a CNS invasion of bacteria
Rapid increase in neutrophils and protein, CSF becomes turbid (‘septic/purulent menigitis’)
